Preparing for wildfire season can help save the lives of you and your loved ones. During a wildfire, officials may advise you to stay indoors to avoid breathing in smoke from the fires. Smoke from fire carries lots of particulate matter that can be harmful to your health. These particles can build up in your respiratory system, causing a number of health problems, including burning eyes, runny noses and illnesses such as bronchitis. Households with children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease are at greater risk of negative health effects from wildfire smoke. It is also important to make sure indoor air is not contaminated with smoke.
There are a few ways to make sure you are breathing in clean indoor air including buying a portable air cleaner or high-efficiency HVAC filter. Make sure the portable air cleaner is the right size for your room and that it does not produce ozone. You may need to consult with a professional HVAC technician to choose the best filter for your system. It is also important to understand your HVAC system or air conditioner. You will need to be able to adjust the system to keep smoke from coming into your house.
Keeping N95 respirator masks on hand is another good idea to keep you and your family safe from breathing in unhealthy smoke. Creating a clean room in your house can reduce the amount of smoke exposure during a wildfire event. A clean room is set up to keep levels of smoke as low as possible. The doors and windows should be closed and activities that create smoke like cooking or smoking should not happen in the clean room.
For more information about protection from wildfire smoke, see: